Tart Shells

Danny Beason's Note:

Submitted by Debbie McNair, Makes 24

• Total Time: 2 hrs 25 mins
• Prep Time: 2 hrs
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 24

• ½ cup butter , softened
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese , softened
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt

FILLING

• 2 tablespoons butter , melted
• ¾ cup light brown sugar , packed
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup pecans , chopped

Directions:

1. For tart shells, beat butter and cream cheese in small bowl, until smooth.
2. Add flour and salt and mix, until a soft dough forms.
3. Cover; chill at least 1 hour or overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
5. Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
6. Place balls of dough into cups of ungreased mini-muffin pan.
7. Dip mini tart shaper in flour; press into dough to form tart shell.
8. (Use floured fingers to press dough up sides of muffin cups, if you do not have a tart shaper.) For filling, combine remaining ingredients, except pecans in a small bowl; mix well.
9. Sprinkle pecans into each tart shell.
10. Fill tart shells evenly with filling mixture.
11. Bake 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown.
12. Remove from muffin pan to cooling rack (loosen edges with a knife, if needed).
13. Cool completely.